


Calm before the storm

by EllaYuki



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Canon Compliant, Coda, Episode Related, Episode: s13e18 Bring 'em Back Alive, Feels, Gabriel is not quite okay yet, Light Angst, M/M, Sam POV, Sympathetic Sam Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-23 00:58:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14321028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllaYuki/pseuds/EllaYuki
Summary: After Asmodeus’ call, Sam tries to calm Gabriel down before he goes to check on the bunker’s wards.





	Calm before the storm

The line goes dead and for a moment, the only sound in the room is that of Gabriel’s hitching breaths.

And then he whimpers again, a broken thing, and a barely there ‘Sam,’ leaves his lips, his eyes big and frightened. Sam swallows past the knot in his throat and shoves the phone back in his pocket. He takes a deep breath and tries to steady himself.

Slowly, telegraphing his every movement, he approaches the bed and sits down. Gabriel might seem to have more or less come out of his shell, but who knows what can send him back into fight or flight mode, or even worse, a catatonic state. Even more so now, after Asmodeus’ very clear threat.

'Hey,’ he says softly, earnestly, catching Gabriel’s gaze and holding it. 'It’s okay. We won’t let him take you again, okay? You’re safe here.’

For a second, Gabriel still looks spooked, still looks like he wants to find the nearest nook and hide in it, make himself as small as possible. His left hand lifts slowly, trembling fingers reaching for Cas’ hand on his shoulder and catching hold of Cas’s sleeve.

He looks so broken, so terrified, even now, that it breaks Sam’s heart. _He shouldn’t look like this,_ Sam thinks. _He’s the **Trickster** , he’s one of God’s mighty archangels, one of the most powerful beings in Creation. He shouldn’t look so… so **small**._

'It’s going to be alright,’ he says again, trying to sound as convincing as possible. Gabriel swallows and blinks up at him and lets out a stuttered breath.

Sam nods and stands up.

'I’m gonna go see to the warding, make sure it’s okay, maybe add a bit more,’ he tells Cas, and moves to step towards the door. 'You stay here with him.’ Cas nods, his hand on Gabriel’s shoulder firm, yet comforting.

Sam nods back and with a last glance at the archangel, turns around. He only makes it two steps before there’s noise from behind him, and Cas saying a hurried 'Hey, wait,’ before there’s something pulling on his shirt.

He stops and looks back.

Gabriel has scrambled from where he’d been sitting to grab onto Sam. It’s both heartwarming and heartbreaking, and Sam feels an overwhelming wave of compassion wash over him.

He turns back fully, and puts a gentle hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. Squeezes. 'I’m only going to be gone five minutes, okay? Don’t worry. I promise I’ll be right back. It’s better if I make sure we’re as safe as possible, right?’

Gabriel swallows, his eyes roaming wildly over Sam’s face, fear clearly warring with the knowledge that Sam is right. Sam waits him out, and after a long moment, the archangel nods, hesitant. Lets go of Sam’s shirt.

‘Okay,’ Sam says again, and gently pats his shoulder. ‘I’ll be right back.’ Gabriel doesn’t try to stop him this time and Sam leaves the room.

It’s difficult, seeing Gabriel like that. It’s difficult, not only because of _who_ Gabriel is, but also because, like Sam had told him, they’re so much alike. Even more so now, now when they have centuries of being tortured in Hell in common.

He shakes his head. He can’t think about that right now. He has wards to tend to, if he wants to keep Asmodeus out, if he wants to keep Gabriel safe.

Anything else can wait for later.

 


End file.
